The Placebo Effect Shows Why Most People Fail at Fitness
The Placebo Effect Shows Why Most People Fail at Fitness
Everyone thinks getting in shape comes down to the perfect training split, the most optimised diet, or some stack of magic supplements.
But here’s the truth…
That’s not why most people fail.
What really makes or breaks you is what’s happening between your ears.
Your belief.
The Science is Nuts
And this isn’t just motivational talk. The research is insane:
Fake knee surgeries: Patients had nothing done but an incision and still recovered like they’d had real surgery (PMID: 12110735).
Placebo pills for IBS: Patients knew they were taking sugar pills… and still got symptom relief (PMID: 21203519).
Parkinson’s patients: A simple saline injection made their brains release dopamine and improve movement (PMID: 11498597).
Like… what the fuck. If the brain can trick the body into healing, don’t you think it can also unlock your training results?
Belief Changes Everything
I’ve seen this over and over again with my clients and myself.
One week you’re dialled in and smashing workouts. The next, you decide it’s “not working,” and boom — you stop showing up, half-ass meals, and sabotage progress.
It’s not the plan that failed. It’s the belief.
3 Ways to Build Bulletproof Belief
Visualise it. See yourself winning before it happens. The pros do it, and it works.
Journal daily. Write down the thoughts holding you back, then reframe them. Patterns appear. Belief builds.
Stack wins. Stop chasing one giant leap. Hit small, repeatable wins that reinforce momentum.
Bonus: Get a Coach
Here’s the fast-track most people ignore — work with a coach.
Why? Because when you’ve got someone backing you, holding you accountable, and showing you the path… your belief skyrockets. Half the time, you just need someone to say: “Yes, this is working — keep going.”
That’s literally what I do with clients. I build the plan, they borrow my belief, and suddenly they’re achieving what they thought was impossible.
The Bottom Line
Belief isn’t fluffy self-help. It’s biology.
If fake surgery can heal knees, and salt water can release dopamine, then belief in your training is the single most powerful weapon you have.
So stop searching for the perfect plan.
Pick one, commit to it, and back yourself all the way.
Because at the end of the day… it’s not the sets, macros, or supplements that transform you.
It’s whether you believe you actually can.
Coach Nick
